AROUND the NBA: Pat Bev Suspended 4 Games Next Season| PHX Fires Vogel, Hires Bud

[Scott41theMavs]

LeBron used to be the best on the planet and he never dribbled the air out of the ball for 20 seconds a possession like Luka did for at least 3 full seasons(19/20, 20/21, 21/22).

Its not a fun style of basketball if employed for a majority of the regular season.  Im not opposed to it in the Playoffs at all.  And...Im not a Luka hater.

Just like I critique THJ shot selection and not passing...Im very against Helio-centric offenses for fans sake and for teammates of Harden and Luka.

Its an interesting idea and worth trying out...but think its bad for basketball on a regular basis, imo.  In Playoffs...got no problem with it.   Here and there during the regular season...got no problem with it.

Its a team game and way more fun when the tempo is up and ball movement is used and everyone eats.

Yes...its a job first and foremost.   Yes...Helio-centric is beautiful concept math wise.   Yes...if you have the Star to execute Helio and you think that offense style can win you a title...USE IT IN THE PLAYOFFS.   Yes...you have to tinker with it during the regular season to iron out kinks with new personnel that come and go.   But use it 85% of the time in games for 85% of the season?  Boring as hell.   Even with Luka putting his wizardry on it.

My opinion is that if there are offensive players in the league that feel they could be held hostage to that style of play for a majority of the season...they will look elsewhere first.

Im not into the "he's the best player in the World, no one else deserves to hold the ball".   Not saying you mean it that strictly...but its an unreasonable take win discussing a team game.

I actually don't think heliocentrism, which until very, very recently was a major problem for this team, is still a problem. The FO put the right talent around Luka, and he is sharing the ball with Kai and to some extent with Exum. In massive contrast to what you have said here, I would be quite dismayed if the Mavs went back to a heliocentric all-Luka approach, because that's not what put them on a winning roll up to game 80. What they need to do is keep playing the way they have.

I'm not confident of a Mavs Larry this year because 1) the team has no depth - as I have written here earlier, if any one of Luka, Kyrie, or Exum, or any two of Landlord, DLive, PJ, DJJ, or Maxi, goes down, the Mavs will be in Cancun within two or three more games. Their run will be over, because zero of guys 9-15 on the roster can be trusted with regular minutes; and 2) they're missing at least one (if not two or three) more piece - a reliable third scorer who can create his own shot (not the "Landlively is our third scorer" horsepucky), who is ideally also a POA defender (can be supplemented with another player if not), and even more, someone who can run the offense. If we lose DJJ, that will be another piece we need to replace. 

Luka-Kyrie-PJ-DLive-Landlord-Exum is an excellent, winning core. They will need to keep building around them. If they address some of the holes this offseason, I think the Mavs will be a 60-win team and championship favorites.